Papua New Guinean literature is diverse. The emergence of written literature (as distinct from

oral literature Oral literature, orature, or folk literature is a genre of literature that is spoken or sung in contrast to that which is written, though much oral literature has been transcribed. There is no standard definition, as anthropologists have used v ...

) is comparatively recent in

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...

. It was given its first major stimulus with the setting up of

creative writing Creative writing is any writing that goes beyond the boundaries of normal professional, journalistic, academic, or technical forms of literature, typically identified by an emphasis on craft and technique, such as narrative structure, character ...

courses by

Ulli Beier Chief Horst Ulrich Beier, commonly known as Ulli Beier (30 July 1922 – 3 April 2011), was a German editor, writer and scholar who had a pioneering role in developing the Western world's understanding of literature, drama and poetry in Niger ...

at the

University of Papua New Guinea The University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) is a university located in Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea. It was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired ...

(established in 1966). Beier also founded a Papua Pocket Poets series, as well as the literary magazine '' Kovave'', the first of its kind in the country. Some of Papua New Guinea's first noted writers, including

John Kasaipwalova John Kasaipwalova (born 1949, died 2 May 2023) was an author, poet, playwright and revolutionary of Papua New Guinea. He was born in Okaikoda Village on Kiriwina Island of the Trobriand Islands, Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea, to indigenous ...

, Kumalau Tawali, Apisai Enos and Kama Kerpi, were first published in ''Kovave''. In 1932, the country's first Methodist Priest, Hosea Linge, known as "Ligeremaluoga", published an autobiography that was translated as The Erstwhile Savage. In 1968,

Albert Maori Kiki Sir Albert Maori Kiki (21 September 193113 March 1993) was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was a leading activist for independence and was one of the founders of the Pangu Party. He served as Papua New Guinea's first deputy prime minister from 1 ...

’s autobiography '' Ten Thousand Years in a Lifetime'' was the first major work of Papua New Guinean literature published outside a magazine. In 1970,

Vincent Eri Sir Vincent Serei Eri (12 September 1936 – 25 May 1993) was a Papua New Guinean politician who served as the fifth governor-general of Papua New Guinea from February 1990 to October 1991. Early life Eri was born on 12 September 1936 at ...

published the first Papua New Guinean novel, ''The Crocodile''. Notable Papua New Guinean writers also include Russell Soaba, Ignatius Kilage,

Nora Vagi Brash Nora Vagi Brash (14 December 1944 – 23 April 2024) was a Papua New Guinean playwright and author. She was a laureate of the Papua New Guinea Independence Medal, Independence Medal for her work as a playwright. Early life and education Nora ...

, Steven Edmund Winduo and Loujaya Kouza.

Sources

"English in the South Pacific"
John Lynch and France Mugler,

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the gov ...

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